Week 2: I met with my language partner a little late, probably around week 2. During this week, I reviewed what I know with my partner. I knew a scatter of random phrases here and there, which I told him. But I mentioned that I didn't really remember anything too well because hello. Basically I needed a lot of review on the alphabet. While I had them written down, I didn't necessarily remember them. During this week we learned the basics to formal and informal greetings.
- Resources I used: google, a few online dictionaries, my Korean friends
- Language partner: First we reviewed my pronunciation of the alphabet first, since if you don't know the alphabet, then you can't really learn the language. We reviewed the characters and how to read them and write them. Before the meeting, I looked up some greeting words. And so I asked Alvin if they were correct. He also mentioned how in Korean there are different ways to say each phrase. We first learned formal greetings first then informal greetings.
- I found it more effective to ask friends than look online. When I look online, I really don't know if the word is correct or not. For example, how do I know that the word is spelled correctly or is a particular word the right translation in the context that I want. Therefore it's easier to just ask friends, who can automatically tell you what the translation is.
Week 3: Building on the work that I did last week, I learned how to say farewell formally and informally.
- Resources I used: google, and Korean friends
- Language partner: this week we learned formal and informal ways to say farewell. I asked him if the words are right and I would practice saying them. I learned from my friends that there are also 2 more ways to formally say goodbye to someone in terms of whether the older person stays or leaves and whether I stay or leave. Then he would quiz me on the words to see if I was able to retain anything.
- I found it very effective to be quizzed on the stuff. It makes me try harder to remember the information so that I don't mess up.
Week 4:
- resources I used: my Korean friends
- Language partner: I learned how to say my name and ask for a name formally. I learned how to describe myself as student that was to be used for my first artifact. I reviewed the words with him to ensure accuracy. Through him, I learned how to say "how are you?" and respond to the question when asked. After learning these words, Alvin made all the words from greeting and farewell sections into a conversation along with the name and how are you parts. And so in the end, I could talk in a conversation with someone. To wrap up, we kind of did a little conversation with the words that I learned
- It was very effective to do a mock conversation without notes to get some practice in conversing with a Korean.
Week 5: This week we learned the 2 number systems and how to write them. It was basically more of him giving me information than me being very engaging.
- Resources I used: Alvin this time actually told me how to say the number systems and write it.
- Language partner. He told me what the difference was between the 2 number systems. Then he wrote out how to say each number in each system on a whiteboard.
- More effective for Alvin to give me the information directly.
Week 6: This week we reviewed the number system. We practiced saying the number system and writing it out. Then he would quiz me on the numbers.
- resources I used: My notes and Alvin
- Language partner: I would say the number system over and over until I was sure that I retained the information. Then Alvin would take my notes away and verbally quiz me on the numbers. He would say a number and I would have to say the translation of the numbers on both systems
- Very effective to have the quizzes.This time though it was information that I learned up to this week and this week. So the quizzes forced me to actually try to retain the information. When I'm under pressure, information sticks more in my brain.
Week 7:
- Resources I used: Alvin
- Language partner: This week, Alvin taught me another way to say the number system. But this time a certain way to say the number system is only used when it's used with an object. So I learned this this week. I also learned 3 I like sentences. I also learned a few more new words, which are a little difficult to remember.
- This week I didn't get quizzed and so not getting quizzed isn't very effective in my learning.
Week 8:
- Resources I used: Korean friends and experiences
- Language partner: From multiple experiences at restaurants, I learned a few phrases of what I should say when I'm at a restaurant. And so I had already knew a few phrases. For this week, I asked some of my friends what should be said and not said when first entering a restaurant. I learned how to order for a drink or a dish. But the downside is I don't necessarily know the different ways that could be said in order to ask for something at a restaurant in Korean. This week was a busy week for both of us and so I was sick during this week.
- Going to a restaurant is an effective way to see how each phrase is used and where and when it is used.
Week 9:
- Resources I used: Korean friends, experiences, online dictionary, Alvin
- Language partner: This week we reviewed what I learned last week and added more to it. I learned what questions would be asked by the waitress when she's asking us what we want to order. For example what do I want to eat and what do I want to drink. We reviewed whether the terms from last week are correct. Then he put all the information into a typical conversation at a restaurant when first entering. Also this week I learned a variety of food related words. Such as pizza, pasta, hamburger. Then we had a mini conversation.
- Like I said before putting the words into a conversation is easier and more effective than having random phrases everywhere.
Week 10:
- Resources I used: Alvin and notes
- Language Partner: this week I learned months and dates. Unfortunately though, I didn't learn the year. Almost 85% of the words associated with months and dates comes from both number systems. Therefore he only needed to tell me how to say in Korean month, day, before noon, and after noon.The rest I had already knew. And then we reviewed basically everything that we had learned this semester to prepare for the final.
- Review is very effective. It's like a refresher of everything that I learned.
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